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Remove Lump After Every Cook!?!

Peter Creasey
Peter Creasey Posts: 253
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
After experiencing a few cases where the fire was slow or unable to reach the desired temperature apparently due to reduced air flow, I have been removing the lump after every cook and cleaning out the ashes.

I save the removed lump and then for the next cook after putting new lump in I pour the removed lump on top of the new lump (so that the removed lump is not wasted).

This system has worked well but it is more trouble.

How many people here see the merits (or demerits) of my strategy?

All feedback appreciated.
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Comments

  • mad max beyond eggdome
    mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
    nah, just stir the lump around to shake the ash through the grate into the bottom of the egg and rake the ash out through the bottom vent before adding fresh lump to whats already there. ...i've never removed the old lump in my life ...only thing i do is when i've completely burned a full load of lump to the point where all thats left is a tiny bit of lump with a lot of ash, i'll pull the fire grate and completely clean out all the ash, but thats it .. .

    only other you can do, if you don't have a wiggle rod, is take a wire coat hanger apart and use the end to clean out the holes in the fire grate by bending it and poking it up through the bottom vent and through the holes, you get better air flow that way. ..cleans out any clogged ash in the grate holes. ...
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    I never pull the old lump either, and that new ash pan from BGE is fantastic. I can scrape out the ashes without dropping any on the porch. -RP
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,739
    i just stir it up real good, i might start out with a full load of fresh and just keep relighting it and not add anything. as the lump disapears thru the various cooks the air flow increases, i dont add every cook and ill do certian cooks with just a handful of lump in there, just like the old literature said to do. if im doing a big low and slow, ill clean it out better.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,887
    no way! Just stir add and go. In fact I'll predict if you go to this much hassle every time you'll start enjoying it less and less and soon revert to the on/off of a gasser!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Peter Creasey
    Peter Creasey Posts: 253
    mad max beyond eggdome wrote:
    nah, just stir the lump around to shake the ash through the grate into the bottom of the egg and rake the ash out through the bottom vent before adding fresh lump to whats already there. ...i've never removed the old lump in my life ...only thing i do is when i've completely burned a full load of lump to the point where all thats left is a tiny bit of lump with a lot of ash, i'll pull the fire grate and completely clean out all the ash, but thats it .. .

    only other you can do, if you don't have a wiggle rod, is take a wire coat hanger apart and use the end to clean out the holes in the fire grate by bending it and poking it up through the bottom vent and through the holes, you get better air flow that way. ..cleans out any clogged ash in the grate holes. ...

    M, Interesting!

    I ALWAYS CAREFULLY did all the things you cite and still had air flow problems which slowed or impeded the BGE coming to temperature.
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  • Peter Creasey
    Peter Creasey Posts: 253
    AZRP wrote:
    that new ash pan from BGE is fantastic.

    A, Can you provide me more information about the "new ash pan"? Or perhaps a link to same?

    Thanks!
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Here ya go. -RP

    http://www.biggreenegg.com/whatsnew.html
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    What's a "wiggle rod"?
    I have been using an old fireplace poker to push old lump to the side a bit and clear the holes. Is there a more efficient tool?
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
    Scroll down on this page. -RP

    http://www.lawnrangerbbq.com/products.htm
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    I use a heavy duty glove and just stir up the old lump. I also clean out below using an ash tool. I then throw the new lump on top of the old. I have never had air flow issues.

    Now if I am doing a long lo & slo I will clean out all lump and ashes and start with new lump...
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  • Central IL Egger
    Central IL Egger Posts: 260
    I just had that problem about a week ago, and solved it by starting a fire and burning all the lump I had left from previous cooks. Took a couple hours at 500, but it fixed the egg really well, and cleaned it out in the process~
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  • Peter Creasey
    Peter Creasey Posts: 253
    I'm starting to think that perhaps the Picnic lump I had been using might have been causing my problems with heating the BGE.

    The Picnic lump seemed to be smaller than in the past and perhaps slower to heat and cook.

    I guess I'll go back to trying just stirring the lump and removing the ashes after cooks with the new lump I have switched to.

    Thanks for all the feedback!
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  • JLOCKHART29
    JLOCKHART29 Posts: 5,897
    The only time I remove the used lump is when I accumilate so many little thumb size pieces that they are clogging up the bottom holes and there is really no decent size left. A lot of times I'll just toss 'em while I clean the ash. Never more than a double hand full anyway.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,739
    those small pieces come in handy for jerky temps around 145, it doesnt take much and with that cook it helps that some of the airflow is restricted by all the small pieces.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    I stir.
    Also you might consider raising the grate at the bottom of the firebox.

    Using (3)SS carriage bolts, I have raised that grate about 1/4" which opens some more space around the perimeter. I have had excellent airflow since incorporating this modification.

    Someone on this board recommended it.

    Only negative is the legs get in the way when you're cleaning below with an ash tool.Also, when stirring the lump, the ash tool catches on the nuts that hold the legs to the grate.
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  • Peter Creasey
    Peter Creasey Posts: 253
    Flashback Bob wrote:
    you might consider raising the grate at the bottom of the firebox.
    Using (3)SS carriage bolts, I have raised that grate about 1/4" which opens some more space around the perimeter.

    Bob, Is there any additional information on how to do this somewhere? Perhaps with a diagram?

    Thanks!
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  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    I agree, Randy. My missus got me the ash pan and ash tool for Father's Day, and now I don't know what I ever did without them.
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